President Barack Obama warned today of an increasing urgency for the US to care for older Americans as millions head into their golden years.
At a White House conference on aging, Obama called on the nation to take proactive steps to address rising costs, protect social insurance programs, train more home health care workers and help seniors remain active contributors to their communities.
He said every day, almost 10,000 Americans born in the aftermath of World War II turn 65 years old, creating a heavy load for the organizations and government agencies that help care for the elderly.
"We're going to have to work for it. We have to work to do more to ensure that every older American has the resources and the support they need to thrive," Obama said.
Every 10 years, the White House holds a conference addressing the needs of aging Americans. Ahead of this year's summit, Obama wrote in an editorial for the website of a leading retirees advocacy group about the importance of making sure that a lifetime of hard work is rewarded "with a retirement that is secure and dignified."
The US president has asked labor officials to crack down on conflicts of interest in the retirement savings advice people may get from financial advisers. He has also put forward proposals to expand access to employer-based retirement savings accounts.
